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It was an appropriate setting since John has utilized the model room on numerous occasions to sketch yacht models in preparing for a painting. The NMHS award said: "John Mecray honored for using his considerable influence as
America's preeminent artist of yachts and yachting to preserve our maritime
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John Mecray grew up in a restoration environment, beginning with Cape May's renaissance in the early 1950s. The restoration of that city's many
Victorian houses left a lasting impression. In the 1970s Newport, RI was the epicenter for 18th century house restorations and John's Division Street Federal
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Store became publisher of Mecray's limited edition prints. Mecray took over the publishing in 1987 and Mystic
Seaport Wholesale has remained Mecray's print distributor ever since. Between 1976 and 2009, forty-six limited editions and six open editions have been published and distributed worldwide.
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magazine caught the artist's eye. After visiting the yacht he explored options to see if the 133 foot schooner could be saved and restored. To this end he painted his first (1981) of three works of
Coronet, then published a print using most of the proceeds to set up a museum fund to stabilize and
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help maintain the yacht. In 1995 the deteriorated vessel was accepted by the
International Yacht Restoration School. The yacht was secured and documented in preparation for restoration. Coronet's importance has been recognized by the
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John married Mary
Gillette of Newport in 1995. The minister who performed the service was the Reverend Frank S. Murray, Captain for 36 years of the schooner yacht Coronet. He married the couple on the lawn of the
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in 1979. In March 1980 John convinced Tom Benson to take the position of executive director, which effectively brought the museum to life. On
September 13–14 of that year the museum held its first annual
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Handbook. He graduated in 1961, and was asked back to teach a drawing class one day a week. After two years increasing freelance work brought an end to teaching. His early varied clients included
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In 1978 Mecray and a small group of friends met in his studio on several occasions to discuss the possibility of starting a museum. Discussions ultimately led to the founding of The
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201:. He then secured the position of illustrator for Seventh Army Headquarters' Psychological Warfare Company, designing leaflets and posters. During his two and a half years in
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was one of them. More recent restorations include a 1936 race car, a 1958 sports car and a 1953 motorcycle, in addition to his involvement since its founding with the
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in the 1970s he gave up his
Philadelphia-based illustration career to devote full-time to marine painting. In 1976 Mecray, his wife, young son and daughter, moved to
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355:. She successfully presented his work to a wider audience more attuned to period American painting. Over the years she mounted several exhibits at her gallery in
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it was announced that the
Restoration Hall would be renamed in his honor. Students also dedicated a Japanese Maple tree which will be planted in the grounds
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where he set up a working studio on the third floor at 166 Thames Street, a block from
Newport's harbor. He had purchased a weatherworn, ca. 1798, early
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style house at 83 Division Street in Newport's 'Historic Hill' district and undertook a total restoration in addition to starting a new career.
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After his tour of duty he returned to art college. While still in his senior year he obtained a commission to illustrate the Senior
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painting and commissions from both Jobson and Turner followed over the years. In 2007 Turner commissioned another painting of
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He won a number of awards for his artwork in the Cape May public school system. In 1954 he was accepted at the
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In 1992 John resigned his trustee position with the museum to join with Elizabeth Meyer at the start of the
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where family roots pre-date the 19th century. John's namesake was a Civil War soldier killed in action at
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when it presented its 'Distinguished Service Award' during their Annual Awards Dinner held in the
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In 2007 John was involved in negotiations that successfully merged the museum and the school.
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Since 1981, Mecray's original paintings have been represented by the dealer
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which is still a popular Labor Day weekend event for classic yachts.
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83 - restored by John Mecray - is the blue/gray house on the left.
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232:. He illustrated several books, mainly for the teen-age market.
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heritage by working to restore the historic schooner Coronet."
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he had the opportunity to visit scores of museums throughout
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His second painting completed in Newport in 1976/77 was the
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Inspired by a number of offshore yacht deliveries to the
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National Personnel Records Center - Form SF 180 Request
126:(February 13, 1937 – November 1, 2017) was an American
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475:At John's Memorial Service on Dec 1st, 2017 at the
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197:Symphony Orchestra & Soldier Shows Company in
419:In 1980 an article about the 1885 schooner yacht
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592:DIRECTORY OF PROPRIETARY SCHOOLS IN RHODE ISLAND
589:Rhode Island Board of Higher Education (2003),
326:on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the
617:Mecray honored for yacht preservation efforts
440:On October 29, 2007, John was honored by the
189:in Germany . He quickly transferred from the
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758:University of the Arts (Philadelphia) alumni
193:to become set and graphic designer for the
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177:) where he majored in illustration under
666:Newport Daily News (November 10, 2017),
430:National Trust for Historic Preservation
293:being published as a two-page spread in
218:Smith Kline & French Pharmaceuticals
154:on May 5, 1862, and memorialized by the
639:City Clerk's office Record of Marriages
570:Artist has an eye for automotive beauty
510:Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
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719:International Yacht Restoration School
477:International Yacht Restoration School
406:International Yacht Restoration School
382:International Yacht Restoration School
773:People from Ridley Park, Pennsylvania
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442:National Maritime Historical Society
778:People from Jamestown, Rhode Island
552:National Personnel Records Center,
491:in 2015 and died November 1, 2017.
471:John Mecray Aquidneck Mill Building
300:s America's Cup Issue. That summer
250:from the painting of the same name.
248:Artist's Proof Print by John Mecray
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567:Providence Journal (2008-11-19),
281:23rd Defense of the America's Cup
160:Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery
16:For those of a similar name, see
768:People from Cape May, New Jersey
704:Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra
614:Jamestown, Press (2007-10-25),
191:Second Armored Cavalry Regiment
166:agencies in Cape May in 1903.
158:with a ten-foot obelisk in the
39:John Mecray in his studio 2002
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448:model room on 44th Street in
220:, Philadelphia Electric, the
652:Smith, Graeme (2017-12-01),
372:Division Street, Newport, RI
289:magazine, which resulted in
18:John Macrae (disambiguation)
304:commissioned a painting of
279:. 1977 was the year of the
171:Philadelphia College of Art
130:painter best known for his
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636:Clerk, City (1996-08-13),
487:Mecray was diagnosed with
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748:American realist painters
322:, which he gifted to the
236:Painting & Publishing
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763:Artists from New Jersey
753:American marine artists
81:Jamestown, Rhode Island
489:acute myeloid leukemia
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363:Restoration Background
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175:University of the Arts
152:Williamsburg, Virginia
714:Classic Yacht Regatta
530:Mecray, John (1997),
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446:New York Yacht Club's
399:Classic Yacht Regatta
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348:Mystic Seaport Museum
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724:Wooden Boat Magazine
694:John Mecray Website
333:s victory over the
324:New York Yacht Club
709:Museum of Yachting
654:Eyewitness Account
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462:Newport Art Museum
394:Museum of Yachting
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353:Marguerite Riordan
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226:Bruno/Mease Studio
245:Shamrock V - 1995
142:He was raised in
124:John Marcy Mecray
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55:February 13, 1937
27:John Marcy Mecray
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415:Schooner CORONET
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230:N.W. Ayer Agency
116:American Realism
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73:November 1, 2017
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138:Formative Years
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98:Known for
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675:November 10,
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75:(2017-11-01)
63:Pennsylvania
743:2017 deaths
738:1937 births
436:Recognition
312:Gary Jobson
260:Newport, RI
88:Nationality
59:Ridley Park
732:Categories
699:Henry Pitz
623:2009-06-02
601:2009-06-21
576:2009-06-02
539:2009-06-02
517:2009-06-02
495:References
425:WoodenBoat
357:Stonington
328:Courageous
320:Courageous
307:Courageous
302:Ted Turner
214:Girl Scout
179:Henry Pitz
148:New Jersey
132:marine art
106:Publishing
51:1937-02-13
533:Biography
450:Manhattan
343:in 1977.
340:Australia
199:Stuttgart
183:Joe Krush
173:(now the
669:Obituary
346:In 1978
335:12-metre
295:Yachting
286:Yachting
228:and the
144:Cape May
112:Movement
102:Painting
421:Coronet
316:Rainbow
291:Rainbow
276:Rainbow
271:J-Class
264:Federal
203:Germany
187:US Army
128:realist
337:yacht
273:yacht
207:Europe
596:(PDF)
483:Death
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677:2017
181:and
164:Ford
70:Died
45:Born
423:in
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156:GAR
92:USA
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